Progressive metamorphism of pelitic rocks from protolith to granulite facies, Dutchess County, New York, USA: constraints on the timing of fluid infiltration during regional metamorphism

A complete Barrovian sequence ranging from unmetamorphosed shales to sillimanite–K-feldspar zone metapelitic gneisses crops out in a region extending from the Hudson River in south-eastern New York state, USA, to the high-grade core of the Taconic range in western Connecticut. NNE-trending subparallel biotite, garnet, staurolite, kyanite, sillimanite and sillimanite–K-feldspar isograds have been identified, although the assignment of Barrovian zones in the high-grade rocks is complicated by the appearance of fibrolitic sillimanite at the kyanite isograd. Thermobarometric results and reaction textures are used to characterize the metamorphic history of the sequence. Pressure–temperature estimates indicate maximum metamorphic conditions of 475 °C, c. 3–4 kbar in the garnet zone to >720 °C, c. 5–6 kbar in the highest grade rocks exposed. Some samples in the kyanite zone record anomalous (low) peak conditions because garnet composition has been modified by fluid-assisted reactions. There is abundant petrographic and mineral chemical information indicating that the sequence (with the possible exception of the granulite facies zone) was infiltrated by a water-rich fluid after garnet growth was nearly completed. The truncation of fluid inclusion trails in garnet by rim growth or recrystallization, however, indicates that metamorphic reactions involving garnet continued subsequent to initial infiltration. The presence of these textures in some zones of a well-constrained Barrovian sequence allows determination of the timing of fluid infiltration relative to the P–T paths. Thermobarometric results obtained using garnet compositions at the boundary between fluid–inclusion-rich and inclusion-free regions of the garnet are interpreted to represent peak metamorphic conditions, whereas rim compositions record slightly lower pressures and temperatures. Assuming that garnet grew during a single metamorphic event, infiltration must have occurred at or slightly after the peak of metamorphism, i.e. 4–5 kbar and a temperature of c. 525–550 °C for staurolite and kyanite zone rocks.     

Structural and geomorphological aspects of the Kat landslides (Tokat—Turkey) and susceptibility mapping by means of GIS

Kat County, which is located in a slope of hilly region and constructed in the side of a mountain along the North Anatolian Fault Zone, is frequently subject to landslides. The slides occur during periods of heavy rainfall, and these events cause destruction to property, roads, agricultural lands and buildings. In the last few decades, a lot of houses and buildings have been damaged and destroyed. Settlement areas have remained evacuated for a long time. The slope instabilities in the study area are a complex landslide extending from north to south containing a lot of landslides. Field investigations, interpretation of aerial photography, analyses of geological data and laboratory tests suggest that some factors have acted together on the slopes to cause the sliding. In the wet season, the slopes became saturated. As the saturation of the earth material on the slope causesa rise in water pressure, the shear strength (resisting forces) decreases and the weight (driving forces) increases; thus, the net effect was to lower the safety factor. Previous failures have affected the rock mass, leading to the presence of already sheared surfaces at residual strengths. The relation between the joint planes and the instability of the slope in the study area was discussed and it was found that the potential slope instabilities are mainly in the directions of NW–SE, NE–SW and N–S. The landslide susceptibility map obtained by using the geographical information system showed that a large area is susceptible and prone to landslides in the northern part of the study area.An erratum to this article can be found at     

Geochemistry and geochronology of the Neoproterozoic Pan-African Transcaucasian Massif (Republic of Georgia) and implications for island arc evolution of the late Precambrian Arabian–Nubian Shield

The Transcaucasian Massif (TCM) in the Republic of Georgia includes Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian ophiolites and magmatic arc assemblages that are reminiscent of the coeval island arc terranes in the Arabian–Nubian Shield (ANS) and provides essential evidence for Pan-African crustal evolution in Western Gondwana. The metabasite–plagiogneiss–migmatite association in the Oldest Basement Unit (OBU) of TCM represents a Neoproterozoic oceanic lithosphere intruded by gabbro–diorite–quartz diorite plutons of the Gray Granite Basement Complex (GGBC) that constitute the plutonic foundation of an island arc terrane. The Tectonic Mélange Zone (TMZ) within the Middle-Late Carboniferous Microcline Granite Basement Complex includes thrust sheets composed of various lithologies derived from this arc-ophiolite assemblage. The serpentinized peridotites in the OBU and the TMZ have geochemical features and primary spinel composition (0.35) typical of mid-ocean ridge (MOR)-type, cpx-bearing spinel harzburgites. The metabasic rocks from these two tectonic units are characterized by low-K, moderate-to high-Ti, olivine-hypersthene-normative, tholeiitic basalts representing N-MORB to transitional to E-MORB series. The analyzed peridotites and volcanic rocks display a typical melt-residua genetic relationship of MOR-type oceanic lithosphere. The whole-rock Sm–Nd isotopic data from these metabasic rocks define a regression line corresponding to a maximum age limit of 804 ± 100 Ma and εNd_int = 7.37 ± 0.55. Mafic to intermediate plutonic rocks of GGBC show tholeiitic to calc-alkaline evolutionary trends with LILE and LREE enrichment patterns, Y and HREE depletion, and moderately negative anomalies of Ta, Nb, and Ti, characteristic of suprasubduction zone originated magmas. U–Pb zircon dates, Rb–Sr whole-rock isochron, and Sm–Nd mineral isochron ages of these plutonic rocks range between  750 Ma and 540 Ma, constraining the timing of island arc construction as the Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian. The Nd and Sr isotopic ratios and the model and emplacement ages of massive quartz diorites in GGBC suggest that pre-Pan African continental crust was involved in the evolution of the island arc terrane. This in turn indicates that the ANS may not be made entirely of juvenile continental crust of Neoproterozoic age. Following its separation from ANS in the Early Paleozoic, TCM underwent a period of extensive crustal growth during 330–280 Ma through the emplacement of microcline granite plutons as part of a magmatic arc system above a Paleo-Tethyan subduction zone dipping beneath the southern margin of Eurasia. TCM and other peri-Gondwanan terranes exposed in a series of basement culminations within the Alpine orogenic belt provide essential information on the Pan-African history of Gondwana and the rift-drift stages of the tectonic evolution of Paleo-Tethys as a back-arc basin between Gondwana and Eurasia.     

FTIR Spectroscopy Data and Carbon Isotope Characteristics of the Ophiolite‐hosted Diamonds

We report new δ¹³C ‐values data and N‐content and N‐aggregation state values for microdiamonds recovered from peridotites and chromitites of the Luobusa ophiolite (Tibet) and chromitites of the Ray‐Iz ophiolite in the Polar Urals (Russia). All analyzed microdiamonds contain significant nitrogen contents (from 108 up to 589 ± 20% atomic ppm) with a consistently low aggregation state, show identical IR spectra dominated by strong absorption between 1130 cm^?1 and 1344 cm^?1, and hence characterize Type Ib diamond. Microdiamonds from the Luobusa peridotites have δ¹³C ‐PDB‐values ranging from ‐28.7‰ to ‐16.9‰, and N‐contents from 151 to 589 atomic ppm. The δ¹³C and N‐content values for diamonds from the Luobusa chromitites are ‐29‰ to ‐15.5‰ and 152 to 428 atomic ppm, respectively. Microdiamonds from the Ray‐Iz chromitites show values varying from ‐27.6 ‰ to ‐21.6 ‰ in δ¹³C and from 108 to 499 atomic ppm in N. The carbon isotopes values bear similar features with previously analyzed metamorphic diamonds from other worldwide localities, but the samples are characterized by lower N‐contents. In every respect, they are different from diamonds occurring in kimberlites and impact craters. Our samples also differ from the few synthetic diamonds; we also analyzed showing enhanced δ¹³C ‐variability and less advanced aggregation state than synthetic diamonds. Our newly obtained N‐aggregation state and N‐content data are consistent with diamond formation over a narrow and rather cold temperature range (i.e. <950°C), and in a short residence time (i.e. within several million years) at high temperatures in the deep mantle.     

Origin of Peridotites and Chromitites in the Pozanti-kar Santi Ophiolite, Turkey

The Pozanti-Karsanti ophiolite(PKO)in Turkey’s eastern Tauride belt comprises mantle peridotites,ultramafic to mafic cumulates,isotropic gabbros,sheeted dikes and pillow lavas.The mantle peridotites are dominated by spinel harzburgites with minor dunites.The harzburgites and dunites have quite depleted mineral and whole-rock chemical composition,suggesting high degrees of partial melting.Their PGEs vary from Pd-depleted to distinct Pd-enriched patterns,implying the crystallization of interstitial sulphides from sulphur-saturated melts(e.g.MORB-like forearc basalt).U-shaped or spoon-shaped REE patterns indicate that the PKO peridotites may have also been metasomatized by the LREE-enriched fluids released from a subducting slab in a suprasubduction zone.Based on the mineral and whole-rock chemical compositions,the PKO peridotites show affinities to forearc peridotites.Chromitites occur both in the mantle peridotites and the mantle-crust transition zone horizon(MTZ).Chromitites from the two different horizons have different textures but similar mineral compositions,consistent with typical high-Cr chromitites.Chromitites hosted by mantle harzburgites generally have higher total platinum-group element(PGE)contents than those of the MTZ chromitites.However,both chromitites show similar chondritenormalized PGE patterns characterized by clear IPGEs,Rh-enrichments relative to Pt and Pd.Such PGE patterns indicate no or only minor crystallization of Pt-and Pd enriched sulphides during formation of chromitites from a sulphur-undersaturated melt(e.g.boninitic or island arc tholeiitic melt).Dunite enveloping chromitite lenses in the ho*s ting harzburgite resulted from melt-rock reaction.We have performed mineral separation work on samples of podiform chromitite hosted by harzburgites.So far,more than200 grains of microdiamond and more than 100 grains of moissanite(Si C)have been separated from podiform chromitites.These minerals have been identified by EDX and Laser Raman analyses.The diamonds and moissanite are accompanied by large amounts of rutile.Additionally,zircon,monazite and sulphides are also common phases within the heavy mineral separates.Both diamond and moissanite have been analyzed for carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition using the CARMECA 1280-HR large geometry Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer at the Helmholtz Zentrum Potsdam.In total,61δ13CPDB results for diamond were acquired,exhibiting a range from-28.4‰to-18.8‰.31δ13CPDB results for Moissanite vary between-30.5‰to-27.2‰,with a mean value of-29.0‰.Diamond has relatively large variation in nitrogen isotopic composition with 40δ15NAIR results ranging from-19.1‰to 16.6‰.The discovery of diamond,moissanite and the other unusual minerals from podiform chromitite of the Pozanti-Karsanti ophiolite provides new support for the genesis of ophiolitic peridotites and chromitites under high-pressure and ultra-high reducing conditions.Considering the unusual minerals,the high Mg#silicate inclusions,and the needle-shaped exsolutions in the PKO chromitites,the parental melts of these chromitites may have been mixed with deep asthenospheric basaltic melts that had assimilated materials of the descending slab when passing through the slab in a subduction zone environment.We suggest melt-rock reactions,magma mixing and assimilation may have triggered the oversaturation of chromites and the formation of PKO chromitites.     

Diamonds Discovered from High–Cr Podiform Chromitites of Bulqiza, Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite, Albania

Various combinations of diamond, moissanite, zircon, corundum, rutile and titanitehave been recovered from the Bulqiza chromitites. More than 10 grains of diamond have been recovered, most of which are pale yellow to reddish–orange to colorless. The grains are all 100–300 μm in size and mostly anhedral, but with a range of morphologies including elongated, octahedral and subhedral varieties. Their identification was confirmed by a characteristic shift in the Raman spectra between 1325 cm~(-1) and 1333 cm~(-1), mostly at 1331.51 cm~(-1) or 1326.96 cm~(-1). This investigation extends the occurrence of diamond and moissanite to the Bulqiza chromitites in the Eastern Mirdita Ophiolite. Integration of the mineralogical, petrological and geochemical data of the Bulqiza chromitites suggests their multi–stage formation. Magnesiochromite grains and perhaps small bodies of chromitite formed at various depths in the upper mantle, and encapsulated the ultra–high pressure, highly reduced and crustal minerals. Some oceanic crustal slabs containing the magnesiochromite and their inclusion were later trapped in suprasubduction zones, where they were modified by tholeiitic and boninitic arc magmas, thus changing the magnesiochromite compositions and depositing chromitite ores in melt channels.     

Diamond and Recycled Mantle:A New Perspective——Introduction of IGCP 649 Project

<正>The IGCP 649 project entitled "Diamonds and Recycled Mantle"was approved by UNESCO and IUGS in March 2015.This project is led by an international team of researchers,including Prof.Yang Jingsui of Institute of Geology of CAGS(China),Prof.Yildirim Dilek of Miami     

Petrology of Cr-rich Podiform Chromitites of Bulqiza, Eastern Ophiolitic Belt, Albania

<正>The ultramafic massif of Bulqiza,which belongs to the eastern ophiolitic belt of Albania,is a major source of metallurgical chromitite ore.The massif consists of a thick(4 km)sequence,composed from the base upward of tectonized harzburgite with minor dunite,a transitional zone of dunite,and a magmatic sequence of wehrlite,